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The economic climate in Up in the Air is not unlike our own; companies are either downsizing or going under, people are losing their jobs and there seems to be no end in sight. If you’re wondering where the upside is in all of this, then enter Ryan Bingham (George Clooney).

Ryan works for a company whose lifeblood is the failure of other companies; meaning it’s his job to fire people when a boss can’t seem to do it himself. Instead of finding it lonely to not only have to tell people they’ve lost their job on a daily basis but to be on the road more than 300 days in a year, Ryan revels in it. Happy with superficial connections and constant movement, Ryan’s life is baggage free. That is until newcomer Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) hits the scene with a revolutionary idea for the company that would make Ryan’s traveling days obsolete.

Up in the Air examines what happens when we’re faced with the reality of our lives. What do we do when we finally take a minute to stop and really look at ourselves, at what we’ve become? The contrast of Ryan’s self-assurance and isolationism with Natalie’s youthful optimism, sensitivity and refusal to settle is enlightening. It’s this relationship that pushes Ryan to examine all others: his relationship with his sisters, his home, his job, his lover. Suddenly Ryan isn’t so confident and we watch as he struggles to understand where to go from here.

Clooney’s performance as Ryan is full of his typical charm, wit and likeability. It’s Clooney’s ability to humanize Ryan that keeps him from being seen as misanthropic or pathetic. We like Ryan, it’s hard not to. In fact, it’s much easier to dislike idealistic Natalie whose character lacks that easy-going air. Vera Farmiga is excellent as Alex Goran, Ryan’s lover who, as she so pointedly states at one point, is “just like [Ryan] only with a vagina.” In love with her on-the-road life, she is Ryan’s perfect match, where Natalie is his counterpoint. As Ryan changes, it’s these two women, grounded in their desires and needs, that help illustrate Ryan’s changing sensibilities.

Of director/writer Jason Reitman’s films (Juno, Thank You For Smoking), this is by far his most successful. Infused with humor and humanity, this story of a life thrown quite literally, “up in the air”, is the most grounded in reality. The people feel less like cardboard cutouts or cartoons and more like someone you might actually know. The sprinkling of nearly nameless soon-to-be-ex-employees (including Zach Galifianakis and J.K. Simmons) are every bit as impressive as Clooney himself, and it’s their multitude of reactions (everything from violent rage to sobs to suicidal tendencies) that really help bring home the reality of Ryan’s life.

Up in the Air is Clooney at his best. It’s a brilliant story about moving forward at the point when it seems most impossible to do so. It is definitely a solid pick at the theatres this season.